Ozarks International!!

[Badvoodoo]

All,
I just returned home after having the honor of driving what I feel is one of, if not the best tracks I have ever had the privilege of driving. Ozark International Raceway is Disney World for for anyone passionate for driving around tracks at high rates of speed! This track is the most technically challenging layout (by a long shot) I have ever spent time lapping! J.R. Pesek has carved out a piece of Nirvana for track addicts. The track, besides being placed among some of the most beautiful landscape imaginable has everything that anyone could ever want in a challenging, incredibly fun layout! Off camber, on camber, descending, climbing, suspension flattening compression, (including areas i.e. Barber, where you can get air) not a flat spot on the entire track. 1600 feet of elevation change per lap! This is a MUST DRIVE track! Right up there with all the greats!
I could elaborate on each turn and how challenging each section of the layout is, but it would take pages and pages. All I can say, is if you get a chance…GO DRIVE IT!
AMAZING!!

 

[PatientZero]

I'm right at 2hrs away so I'm eagerly waiting for a chance to go if the price comes down. I'm hoping for a TNIA or something similiar.

How did you feel about all the barrier/wall placement? Was it all blown out of proportion or warranted?

 

[yotah1]

Planning to go next year! The guys at PF Racing are awesome to work with and the track they've built looks pretty cool!

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Keep in mind the price for the Track Introductory Event was limited to just 50 drivers so the pricing needed to be a bit high. The Central Region of NASA hosted this event and I was hoping to go , but since my son and I are taking a long drive to Moutrie, Ga. to run a SCCA Champ Tour ( Allies vs Axis Dec. 4th and 5th ) I skipped the Ozark drive. Sounds like I missed out but I will echo that the Pesek family are rabid car guys, big Ford aficionados and this track has so many elevation changes you may get altitude sickness, ha. I do imagine the pricing for SCCA, NASA and various events will be priced differently in 2022, but such great news for track rats in the Midwest. Three great tracks fairly close for the folks in Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska.

Heartland Motorsports Park -- repaved 4+ years ago, super smooth
Motorsports Park Hastings - just repaved in two seam process with new aggregate process
Ozark International Raceway - new track with more technical courses changes than likely any track in the US.

Note on barriers from one other individual who also was there, he felt it had the same feel as Watkins Glen , and if it has that legendary track's feel, I imagine folks will be lined up to tackle the track for miles.

 

[TMSBOSS]

I have seen some negative comments regarding barriers, all from the two wheeled community. Sliding into a barrier in a car is not what I want to do. On a bike, OMG.
I now have another track on my bucket list.
Bucket list:
Watkins Glen
Ozarks
Laguna
COTA
Indy
Daytona

 

[Badvoodoo]

I'm right at 2hrs away so I'm eagerly waiting for a chance to go if the price comes down. I'm hoping for a TNIA or something similiar.

How did you feel about all the barrier/wall placement? Was it all blown out of proportion or warranted?

There is Armco/barrier/tires pretty much around the entire track. But, in areas where you could go off, for the most part, there is gravel-runoff before you get to the Armco. That being said there are areas of the track where the Armco is close by. For example thru the roller coaster straight section from turn 7 to turn 8. Turn 8 to 9 there is barrier inside the radius of the section. Lots of runoff to the outside before gravel and tires. Turn 1 provided the first incident of the day. If you blow turn 1 there is a good chance you’ll have contact with tires or Armco. But, you don’t really notice it as it is set back most places.

 

[TeeLew]

It must be an Alan Wilson track. It looks pretty, but it'll race like shiznit. That *expletive* has yet to lay out a decent passing zone in the 20 tracks he's done around the country. This track, while beautiful and probably fun to drive, predictably, has none.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

I actually like quite a few of Alan's tracks ( Utah Motorsports Campus especially ) but I also give him credit that some of his designs were predictable to meet the track owners guidelines to be a safe Country Club circuit. Frankly two of his designs near me are fantastic because folks feel the passing is difficult and often they don't know the spots till some of us pass them. Hastings ( MPH ) is a perfect example where many think there is only one good passing area whereas those of us who like the course know there are 4. His other design near Glenwood, Iowa was said to only have a good spot down the long 2222 ft. straight, yet we would often pass each other in 5 other spots. Ozark ( not even sure who designed it ) may or may not be a Wilson track but it has so many off camber turns, sweepers, altitudinal changes and braking spots I have confidence it will open up plenty of passing. That said I believe your comment may be that Wilson tracks do not always have easy passing zones, but then many like the tactical aspect of a technical course where one has to learn the openings than having them transparent.

Can't speak for all of Alan's tracks but having had the opportunity to chat with him about 15 years ago I do know his idea for a course was often tempered by size and the track owners specifications.

 

[Badvoodoo]

It must be an Alan Wilson track. It looks pretty, but it'll race like shiznit. That *expletive* has yet to lay out a decent passing zone in the 20 tracks he's done around the country. This track, while beautiful and probably fun to drive, predictably, has none.

Not a Wilson design track. But, the track is wide with plenty of room to pass when the car in front of you when he/she blows one of the 20 plus technical sections. The whole track is a passing zone!

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Just got a call from a buddy who was there as Instructor and he stated the guardrails are to meet the FIA requests and guidelines, but there is still some work to be done. It will be great to have IMSA or maybe IndyCar run in the Middle of US of A , and since Pesek Family Racing has been active in IMSA I would wager the Michelin Tire Challenge within IMSA will be excited to get a new track with the ambiance of Road America --- long track with alot of spectator viewing spots in the future , etc.

Funny thing was my friend said he did not think he would be able to Instruct there because he said it is an E-ticket roller coaster ride , easily the most technical he has been on and like the post above from Badvoodoo , plenty of places to pass --- but as a rider he felt his stomach going up and down as much as the elevation, ha.

 

[Scootsmcgreggor]

Wow this track is prob 25hrs away and it just made top of my list none the less. Looks amazing.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Well, heck, then you better make it to the Mustang Roundup in Hastings in 2022 , since it imight be only 20 hours away, ha !!

Talking to the Peseks a few years back they mentioned they were going to try and follow many of the contours of the land like road courses of old and it is pretty obvious they stayed true to this concept and succeeded spectacularly!

 

[TeeLew]

I shouldn't gripe too much, but it's so simple...long straight, straight brake zone, slow corner.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

You should like it, one of my fellow Instructors who went there said it was like an overgrown autocross course at mega speeds. You stay really busy and mental capacity to remember where you are is akin to a big autocross --- of course he and I run at the SCCA Nationals site in Lincoln so good analogy as there are occasionally courses close to a mile long.

 

[carver]

Wow. Just watched the video. What a great circuit . Looks like a very changeling track to learn. I could see me getting into all kinds of trouble there. 18 hrs. from my house and one boarder crossing! Hmmmm

 

[Badvoodoo]

Wow. Just watched the video. What a great circuit . Looks like a very changeling track to learn. I could see me getting into all kinds of trouble there. 18 hrs. from my house and one boarder crossing! Hmmmm

It’s worth it!!

 

[consultjr]

I have to agree with Bill, in that Alan Wilson tracks sometimes require a little bit more forethought in passing but there are quite a few passing zones, especially at Utah Motorsports Campus (formerly Miller Motorsports Park). Difficulty passing, try Laguna Seca, with equally classed vehicles. You have to work really hard. Hopefully we will get to try OIR.

 

[TeeLew]

Utah has no passing zones for Pro races with the 4 1/2 mile loop. It's the world's biggest Malibu Grand Prix. The outer loop is a little better, but only a little.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

No offense gentleman, but since both TeeLew and consultjr have 20 years experience, but one lists his main focus as autocrossing and the other lists his as W2W , I am going to have to give the edge to Consultjr! Doesn't hurt that he lives in Salt Lake , but having run at Miller a couple of times, watched a couple of Pro Races in person, I don't find it lacking passing zones, they are just not as easy as some other tracks.

Bill P ( 40 years auto crossing and W2W -- yep , I be ancient , ha! )

 

[TMSBOSS]

I can confirm that statement. Bill is Old. Ha.